This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7 119 with respect to Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-016204 filed on Jan. 24, 2002, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a door lock device and a method of controlling a door lock. An illustrative embodiment of the present invention relates to a door lock device and a method of controlling a door lock which automatically unlocks a vehicle door in response to an unlock indication provided by a user.
With a known door lock device, the door lock device fails to unlock a vehicle door under a condition that an outside handle is pulled or otherwise operated. Thus, with the known door lock device, it is required to perform the unlocking operation again after a user returns the outside handle to a normal position. Thus causes inconvenience to the users.
Recently, door lock devices have been introduced which respond to a signal transmitted by a transceiver of a user, as the user approaches the vehicle. Such devices are termed xe2x80x9csmart entry devicesxe2x80x9d. Such a door lock device includes, a sensor which detects that the hand of a user contacts an outside handle, to operate an actuator for unlocking a lock mechanism. The lock mechanism, and the actuator, may not be ready for the unlocking operation if the user suddenly pulls the outside handle simultaneous with contacting the outside handle. In this case, the door lock device fails to automatically unlock and the user cannot open the door even when pulling the outside handle. That is, in this case, it is required to perform the unlocking operation again after returning the outside handle to the normal position and thus causes inconvenience to the users.
With other known door lock devices other than the above mentioned smart entry door lock devices, the same drawback may be generated when the vehicle has at least one potential occupant additional to the operator of the lock device. That is, if the potential occupant pulls the outside handle of any one of doors immediately before the operator performs the unlocking operation, the, door whose outside door handle is pulled is not unlocked. In this case, it is required that the operator performs the unlocking operation again after the other potential occupant returns the outside handle to its normal position, causing inconvenience to the users.
A known door lock device disclosed in German Patent Laid-Open Publication No. DE3902873A1 obviates the aforementioned drawbacks. The known door lock device disclosed in German Patent Laid-Open Publication No. DE3902873A1 includes a mechanical mechanism which allows the unlocking of the door lock mechanism even when the unlocking operation is performed under the condition that the outside door handle of the vehicle door is pulled.
With the known door lock device disclosed in German Patent Laid-Open Publication No. DE3902873A1, the number of parts of the door lock device as a whole is increased by adding the mechanism for allowing the unlocking of the door lock mechanism under the condition that the outside door is pulled. This causes a drawback that the size of the door lock device per se is increased and the manufacturing cost of the door lock is increased.
One aspect of the present invention provides a control method for a door lock device for performing an unlocking operation of a lock mechanism of a vehicle door by energizing and actuating an actuator in response to an unlocking command from a vehicle user which includes a first time period for energizing the actuator in accordance with the unlocking command by the user, a second time period for returning an operation portion provided on a vehicle from an operated position to a normal position, and a third time period during which the actuator starts the unlocking operation and completes the unlocking of the lock mechanism. The first time period is determined to be equal to or longer than a sum of the second time period and the third time period.
Another aspect of the present invention, provides a door lock device for performing an unlocking operation of a lock mechanism of a vehicle door by energizing and actuating an actuator in response to an unlocking command from a vehicle user which is operating in according with a first time period for energizing the actuator in response to the unlocking command by the user, the first time period being equal to or longer than a sum of a second time period which is the time that an operation portion provided on a vehicle is returned from an operated position to a normal position and a third time period which is the elapsing for a time that during which the actuator starts the unlocking the operation and completes the unlocking of the lock mechanism.
An illustrative embodiment of the invention seeks to provide a door lock device and a method of controlling a door lock device which performs an automatic unlocking operation even when an unlocking operation is performed under a condition that an outside handle of a vehicle door is pulled.